FORKS — From the 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree, the “Twelve Days of Christmas” will last only two days at the 19th annual Forks Festival of Trees this weekend.
The event, sponsored by Soroptimist International of the Olympic Rain Forest, begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at First Congregational Church, 280 S. Spartan Ave., and continues Sunday.
A breakfast with Santa will open the festival from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.
Those who want one of the 15 trees on display this year — all dutifully decorated by community clubs and individuals — will have a chance to bid on their favorite and have it delivered.
‘Ready for Christmas’
“Unwrap it, plug it in, and you’re ready for Christmas,” Soroptimist President Audrey Grafstrom said.
The live auction begins at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Festival of Trees is the Soroptimist Club’s biggest fundraiser, with an average of $10,000 a year spent on trees, wreaths and other holiday items.
The theme of this year’s event is “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
There may not be 12 drummers, and Forks is short a few of the 10 lords leaping, but there may be nine ladies dancing to live music offered during the Forks holiday tradition.
All of the noble fir trees used for the festival were cut Tuesday at the Lazy J Tree Farm in Agnew, so they are fresh for display in homes or businesses, Grafstrom said.
The festival will close for lunch and reopen for an open house with refreshments, live music, a silent auction, decorated wreaths, a Rada Cutlery knife sale and a raffle tree.
The raffle tree, decorated this year by Ramona Oakes, has a “Sound of Music” theme and will be decorated with both toy and fully functional musical instruments, musical notes and more.
Moonlight Madness
Soroptimist members will be back at the church at 7 p.m. Saturday for Moonlight Madness.
For more information, phone 360-327-3609 or 360-374-6700.
Items for the silent auction can be donated by phoning Debbie McIntyre at 360-374-7535.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Joe Smillie contributed to this report.
